May the mumbling commence!
Moses was at the end of his staff – at the end of his stick we would say. In Numbers chapter 20, what comes around goes around once again. There was no water for the community, so Israel grumbled to Moses and Aaron. Israel fondly remembered Egypt. Then Moses and Aaron went into the Lord’s presence at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and they fell facedown.
The Lord asked Moses to take the staff, gather Israel, and speak to that rock before their eyes. The rock would produce water at his speech. The power of speech comes into play again. The Word of God is most powerful.
But Moses and Aaron simply fell down. They had grown tired of the perpetual grumbling of the people, and they began to think that they were producing the miracles – not the Lord. Moses cajoled Israel, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” Neither Moses nor Aaron even mentioned the name of God. Then Moses raised the staff twice and struck the rock twice.
Still, the water came; but God was not pleased. The Lord said, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring them into the land that I will give them.” Moses and Aaron forgot God and forgot what God had asked of them. They forgot who the true leader of Israel was.
They were worn out. They were tired. They were frustrated. They were angry. And, perhaps, they remembered striking a rock once before to produce water. They were looking for vindication. They slipped into pride, and they fell. So the Lord pronounced them as no longer worthy to lead Israel into the Promised Land. What a high price to pay! But the Lord expects more from His leaders.
In Numbers chapter 21, what comes around goes around once again. Israel remembered fondly the food of Egypt, because they were growing weary of manna. They were sure that they would die in the desert. Hadn’t they asked for that fate? Hadn’t God promised them that very fate when they rejected the will of the Lord to take the Promised Land?
So, the Lord, in His righteous anger, sent poisonous snakes upon the camp of Israel. When the people of Israel became afflicted and were dying, they acknowledged their sin when the spoke against God and His servant Moses. They asked Moses to pray to the Lord to take the snakes away. Sound familiar? It should. It sounds like the pattern of the hard-hearted Pharaoh.
And Moses prayed for the people. (Remembering the incident at the burning bush, this prayer was probably quite fervent. Moses feared the snake that God make of his staff. Some of us may join Moses in this fear of snakes.) He probably prayed for the snakes to be removed from the camp, but God did not remove the snakes. Instead, God asked for an action of faith. The Lord told Moses to fashion a bronze snake, lift it up on a pole, and have the people poisoned by the snakes look up. If the people would do this, the Lord would heal them.
Even today, God cannot remove human choice to sin. Our choice is a part of us being made in the image of God. No, God cannot remove the immediate consequences of our sins. God cannot remove the snakes. But God has given us His Son, Jesus. Jesus, too, was lifted up on the pole of crucifixion. We are to look up to Jesus and show our belief in the Lord. We are to choose God’s will for our lives over the many things of this world that we hold dear. We are to remember rightly – remember holy and healthfully.
Just as when Israel approached the well of Beer, and the Lord asked Moses to gather the people so He could give them water. And Israel sang: “Spring up, O well! Sing about it, about the well that the princes dug, that the nobles of the people sank – the nobles with scepters and staffs.” They remembered rightly, holy, and healthfully. They were made whole.
It reminds me of one of my favorite hymns: “Spring up, O well; within my soul. Spring up, O well; and make me whole. Spring up, O well; and give to me life abundantly.” That is life eternal. Let’s give thanks for the welling up of the Holy Spirit within us – a gift from Jesus. Give thanks for that living water that produces life eternal, which is much more than just quantity – it is also about quality. For those who believe, it is available to us today. Let’s use our choice to choose God and the abundant life He has for us.
Enough mumbling for today…
Peace Out
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